


Justified

by ainamclane



Series: Little Black Dress RT Challenge [14]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, M/M, Sentinel/Guide Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 18:10:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5712079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ainamclane/pseuds/ainamclane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick gets a call from Chicago about Barba being a latent Guide.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> seriously random and short; unbetaed  
> as always, its not necessary to read the previous works but references will me made

Nick knew that he should never have started something with Amanda. It was just a stupid mistake in the hopes that she was the perfect Guide for him. Or rather, replacement since she wasn’t a Guide but at first Nick thought she could mimic for him.

It was tell-tale when Amanda got drunk yet again and attacked him in the bar. Nick walked. He knew they were over even before then. He knew it was one of those mistakes in his life that he couldn’t ever make up to.

That and still not finding his Guide was seriously pissing him off.

The reprimand he had gotten due to the pedophile walking was nothing compared to the ease the Sentinel within him had felt. The only problem was that this was New York and New York had a strong Sentinel and Guide pride.

Nick wasn’t even close to being an Alpha so he was stuck following orders and the NYPD brass that had looked at him like he had grown two heads was just annoying him. He knew he shouldn’t have attacked the man but the smell, the overall gut feeling he had, had told him that man was guilty and nothing could have stopped him.

Luckily enough, Barba was acing in Sentinel and Guide law. The laws stated that Nick, while he really should have known better, wasn’t at fault and needed a visit with the local center to stabilize himself. 

Now, being back to Special Victims, Nick hated that a random lawyer was addressing his acting out as an example to make Olivia’s statement wobbly. But what no one knew?

He was the Sentinel. The SVU knew but not everyone knew. Of course the brass mostly knew but it was nothing that anyone had ever dug up in all their cases. Luckily enough.

Nick knew that eventually this would come out. He knew it was only a matter of time since mostly anyone knew that he belonged to the Sentinel and Guide pride of New York.

A sudden ringing of his cell phone drew him out of his thoughts and he frowned at the phone: “Amaro?”

“Sentinel? Here’s Jay Halstead,” the other Sentinel started: “I was hoping I could ask you about our case together?”

“Sure, I heard you got the guy with Erin's brother’s help?” Nick asked kindly.

“That news sure travels fast,” Jay laughed: “When I was in New York with Erin, we both knew that one of your crew was a latent Guide.”

“I’m currently the only one on the team,” Nick frowned: “Who is it?”

“I wanted to know whether they have come online yet?” Jay continued: “You know we’re an Alpha pair and as that can sense those?”

“Yes,” Nick added: “Are you still Alpha? I heard rumors.”

“Wow, that was quick,” Jay laughed: “My brother Will found his Sentinel and they’re bordering on a Prime. Definitely Alphas for the City while I am their Beta.”

Nick nodded: “Who do you think is a Guide?”

“They’re close to coming online but I know you only have a very low mental ability so I wanted to check. It’s your ADA Barba.” Jay replied: “And I’m worried that he might come online and be helpless.”

“Barba?” Nick asked in surprise: “I’ll check with him constantly and make sure the Pride knows.”

“That’s all I’m asking for,” Jay replied: “I gotta go, but all the best.”

“Yeah, thanks Jay, you, too.”

Nick frowned at the phone in his hand and sighed. He so often had hoped for a Guide to be in the department but they hadn’t allowed for a Guide to be with them given the emotional distress all their victims were putting off without being bonded to a Sentinel.

And there were only very few bonded Pairs in the force to begin with. Guides tended to stick to other business than the force so that was also a problem.

For Barba to be a Guide? That would mean Barba would have to drop being a ADA for the SVU due to being too emotionally involved unless he had a Sentinel right away. Which he probably wouldn’t have.

Nick hated this because the other man was a really good attorney and to lose him would simply be disastrous. All in all, Nick hoped this worked out somehow.

Keeping a closer eye on Barba when he saw him next was rather strange. He didn’t want to hint at Barba that the other man might just be a Guide without being certain because that would also upset the other man due to the fact that Guides were kindly asked to step down.

No, they had to make this airtight before Barba came online and reported. Nick would have to keep an eye on him quietly. How he was supposed to do that was unknown to him. They hadn’t had the best relationship so far. They were rather distant. Well, at least they had been. Nick knew this needed to change because no matter what, Nick wouldn’t allow anything to happen to a Guide on his team, under his protection, in his pack.

Continuing his work was for now the best option he had. He needed to learn the behavior of Barba and anything that would help him keeping an eye out. He was really surprised that none of the Alphas of New York had dropped by yet to comment on it. He was sure that someone must have crossed paths with the DA sometime in the past.

“Nick?” Olivia asked him and he looked up to meet her gaze, knowing he was deep in thoughts.

“Oh hey,” he returned, placing a folder down in front of him on the desk: “I’m sorry, I’m being distracted by something Jay Halstead said.”

“The Chicago Detective?”

“Yeah, the Sentinel. He told me Barba is a latent Guide,” he said and looked at Olivia who knew just as much as he did what that really meant.

Olivia sat down across from him and sighed: “How close?”

“If he calls me from Chicago and asks if he’s online yet when he was here not three weeks ago?” Nick asked pointedly: “I’d say close.”

Olivia sighed: “Do you need to be close to him?”

“It would help to tell if he comes online and is lost,” Nick shrugged: “And I should tell him he is a Guide at that. If he is prepared, it can help but on the other hand he might get frustrated that he might have to give up his job.”

“Is there any way to search a Sentinel for him?”

Nick sighed. This was a really complicated question. He had always liked Barba even if they had verbally fought before and had a few disagreements. It was their working relationship that was important. Personally, he had envisioned himself coming together with Barba on one or another occasion but that was only a matter of fantasy and loneliness and wishful thinking and admiring the other man.

“Not really,” Nick sighed: “It has to be a perfect match to Barba. Not any Sentinel could provide the needed buffer.”

“So it is rather a small chance that he can stay with us?” Olivia asked resigned. They had lost so many good DAs to time and circumstances.

“I’ve been looking for my Guide for years and in a lot of states and on searches, Liv. Finding Barba’s Sentinel right away could be labeled a miracle.” Nick said honestly and then fell silent when he could feel Amanda and Fin arriving. He didn’t want them to know about his and with a small indicator to Olivia told her so as well. 

“Oh, you’re in early,” Rollins commented with a smile while Tutuola was shaking his head.

Nick shrugged and didn’t comment further while Olivia turned from Nick’s desk to return to her office. Carisi was about to come in as well and Nick had other fish to fry now.

“You’re on time for once,” Nick replied with a smirk and knew that ever since she had been drunk and tried to force him to hit her or something, that they were very well over. His troubles with Maria were also factoring in but he had known that as a Sentinel he had a male Guide, it was in his instinct, so fathering a child to call his own was an urge he had had. Maria had been willing and knew that a Guide would always come first to Nick and back then, she had been fine with it. Now, it seemed to be a huge deal.

Carisi walked in right when Amanda was flipping him off and frowned. He briefly looked as if Amanda had meant him but Nick knew better. He accepted Rollins being off after having had to go back to Atlanta but some things he couldn’t tolerate. She was getting on his bad side rather quickly and he would need to keep an eye out that she was acting for the team and not letting alcohol get the better of her.

Luckily enough, they got a case to distract Nick from his thoughts, even if he barely got time to see Barba and check on him.

**

When he did see Barba, they were discussing the case and Nick was staying in the background after a nod from Olivia that they would handle this, he should just focus on Rafael. 

Barba was his usual snarky self, aiming to know every detail they had found out to be used for his advantage, every grain of sand that hadn’t been left unturned. Nick focused hard on what empathic and mental abilities he had to get a read on Barba. He could sense the Guide simmering underneath the surface and was startled that Jay was right. Barba was literally a small push away from coming online.

Nick needed to tell the Alphas about Barba. He sighed and looked through his contact list and considered whom he was to call. Bothering the highest ranking Sentinels was not so smart and he barely had any interaction with them on any other day. He knew of them, they knew of him and that was about it.

Still, those three men he thought of were at least NYPD, whereas the Beta was FBI. Nick sighed and pressed the call button on Detective Messer. SOP said to always contact a Sentinel first before taking it to their Guide. Granted, that man was probably both.

“Detective Messer?” the voice came through the line.

Nick swallowed quickly: “Hello Alpha, this is Nick Amaro, fellow Detective from SVU?”

“Ah, yes, the newer guy,” Danny replied: “Given that you addressed me as Alpha I take it it is a Sentinel-matter?”

“Yes, otherwise my Serge would have reached out to Detective Taylor,” Nick agreed: “The problem I have is an DA who’s close to coming online. I only got told by a fellow cop from Chicago that has the empathic ability to sense it. I myself didn’t catch it but assessed the man and have to agree that our ADA is a stressful night away from coming online. I just don’t know how to proceed.” Nick bit his lip and looked down at the table surface.

The Sentinel on the other end was writing something on a paper. The scratch was telltale before replying: “I’ll be coming down with my Guide. Where can we meet?”

“Battery?”

“Sounds good,” the Sentinel replied: “Today, lunch break at one?”

“Of course,” Nick said and waited for the Alpha to hang up. Olivia was out and Nick sighed, scribbling her a message to leave at her desk, stating where and when he was going with a small Barba-stick-figure. Olivia would be the only one knowing the reference given that they had once joked about Barba’s yachting-cloths and had taken the joke further.

Meeting the Alpha of the state was one thing, skipping the Beta and even Gamma was another. Granted, given that he was NYPD he was more likely to address them than the others but still rather strange.

“Detective Amaro?” the other Sentinel asked and Nick turned around, surprised to see the Sentinel with his Guide: “I’m Danny Messer and this is Don Flack.”

“Hey, thanks for coming,” Nick said gladly and refrained from shaking hands with either man: “I’m sorry for skipping the usual chain.”

“Don’t worry, we are after all the spokesmen of the NYPD for Sentinel and Guides. We knew when we made our number available for all officers that you would more likely call us directly,” Flack replied with a shrug: “That Guide you mentioned?”

“Right,” Nick nodded: “He’s our DA and been around for a while. We had a fellow Alpha-leveled Guide and Sentinel from Chicago working with us on a case and the Detective Halstead called me yesterday.”

“Wait, Halstead, the brother of Will Halstead?” Danny asked in surprise: “The doctor’s brother is a cop?”

“Yeah, that one, why?”

“Because Will Halstead is a Prime. He and his Sentinel just bonded a few days ago and it was rather surprising. They’re Alphas with a low Prime level but given that Chicago and its surrounding area are lacking a Prime, they are considered Prime,” Danny explained quickly: “Nevertheless, we always believed Jay to be Prime leveled, it just depended on his Guide.”

“His Guide is one of his fellow Detectives and I like them both. Jay seemed interested in our ADA when he met him but other than that he never mentioned it until his call this morning.”

“Did you tell your DA?”

“I’m not crazy enough to tell Barba he’s a Guide and might lose his job,” Nick said with a false laugh and smile that turned into a grimace: “No, I can’t.”

Danny and Flack shared a look that Nick wasn’t even trying to interpret. Those two had a telepathic ability no one else could reach in this state so Nick didn’t waste any time. Don said slowly: “Let us walk past the building? It’s on our way to the precinct anyways.”

Nick followed and lead them to the corner of the building where Barba was located: “Seventh floor up, corner facing east, the one smelling of coffee, cinnamon, summer rain, roses and that Cuban food.”

Danny nodded when he had the man and Flack used Danny’s senses to be dragged along. They assessed the man for a moment: “He seems really close to being online. I only once felt that.”

“Martin?” Don asked with a nod: “Yeah, like that. He could flip online any time. We can take it from here and break the news to him but if you want you can come with us?”

“I haven’t told him I’m a Sentinel yet. We kept it quiet given that Barba and I first fought quite a bit and we have to be in the stands.” Nick sighed: “I’ll come with you if you think its better.”

“Having someone around that is a friend and a known is always helpful. We are the Alphas so it is better that we tell him about coming online and being available, but you’re his friend. You might understand better than we could what he’ll be going through.”

Nick sighed: “Barba is winning all our fights in court. He is by the book, he his very good and smart and snarky. Being a Guide without a Sentinel would mean he’ll be released due to emphasizing with our victims more than he used to. Barba is harsh and driven with victims until they tell what happened to them as much as pressuring and angering those that are accused of those crimes without backing off or showing kindness. This will literally destroy him.”

Danny winced slightly while Don shook his head in regret: “Sadly, we cannot help him there.”

Following both men into the building, Nick touched Danny’s shoulder to draw him back around: “I won’t let anything happen to him emotionally. If this gets to be too much…”

Don’s shared look with Danny wasn’t lost on him and he frowned: “What?”

“We know he’s your pack,” Don started: “but we’re also there for him and won’t harm him. You’re protecting him as if he were your own Guide.”

Nick shook his head: “He’s the first to come online in that department and the first friend I have that comes online.”

They took the elevator up and headed to the office Barba was currently working in. Nick took it upon himself to knock on the door and entered when Barba told him to enter: “Hey Barba, these here are Danny Messer and Don Flack.”

Barba looked at both men and back at Nick but before he could voice anything, Don interrupted: “We’re here because Nick asked us to assess you.”

“Assess me? How?”

“I’m a Sentinel, Barba,” Nick said tightly: “and I thought something was wrong.”

“With me?”

“We think you’re about to come online as a Guide,” Danny said: “We know this is a shock to you and you are probably not believing us but we’re the Alpha Primes and we believed Nick when he said you’re close.”

Barba sat down, heavily: “And you decided you spring this on me.”

Nick looked at Barba agitated but Don spoke first: “Coming online means a great deal of distress and you could think you go crazy by hearing voices or feeling angry or sad and those aren’t your feelings. Anything is possible and we wanted to warn you.”

Angry now, Rafael stood: “And you thought that telling me I’ll be losing my job is better?”

Danny shrugged: “Considering what we know? Yes. Besides, your Sentinel could be around the next corner for all we know. There is no telling how good you are at shielding and we’re the ones assessing whether you’ll be able to do your job or not. Not every Guide is likely to feel the empathy of victims as strongly as others.”

“But you know the law states that I will need to have a Sentinel in order to work for the state attorney’s office.” Barba replied: “Essentially you’re stressing me right now given that I might not be able to come to work tomorrow.”

“Barba, stop,” Nick said and stepped closer: “I know this might feel like the world is ending but you’re not online yet and you’re not instable. If you’re working with us right now, no one will know and have a reason to release you because you will be shielded enough.”

Frustrated, Barba cursed some words in Spanish to which Nick grinned. Don apparently caught the gist of it while Danny chuckled as well. Danny spoke next: “I’m really sorry to make you uncomfortable but we think it’s always best if you know beforehand you’re coming online than being surprised and having no clue what is happening.”

“I know. It’s not your fault,” Barba sighed and shrugged: “I’ll let you know when I feel online and I guess Amaro here will also know when I’m online?”

“I will,” Nick said: “I’ll protect you if I can.”

Rafael nodded at the other man: “If I know one thing about you Amaro, it’s that.”

Then he turned back to the papers and thanked the Alphas for coming around. Nick and both other men left him, Nick being jumpy: “What do you think? How is he taking it?”

“Not too good but better than expected,” Flack replied: “Just be careful how you voice things to keep it a secret.”

“Oh, I won’t breath a word of it. I just told Olivia to let her know in case it comes down to it but other than that, it’s his privacy. I’ll keep an eye on him.” Nick replied: “Do you think he will lose his job?”

“You said it yourself, he’s the best,” Danny answered: “We’ll let you know when we assessed him once he is online.”

Nick shook his head, tiredly rubbing a hand over his face and taking a steadying breath. Don was next to him: “Are you okay?”

“I’m stressed. The past few cases were tough and you probably heard about my troubles with the pedophile. I’m in a rough spot and should head to a center soon to make sure I’m not spiking soon.”

“Detective,” Danny said carefully: “How much do you like Barba?”

“What?” Nick asked surprised and then quickly stepped back: “He’s a good colleague.”

Don and Danny shared yet another look but before they could say anything else, Mac came walking up to them: “Hey, we’ve got a new case.”

“Nick?” Don asked and when the fellow Detective reacted, he continued: “we’re here for you as well. We can sense the strain on your senses being unbonded. Hang in there.”

Nick nodded, still frowning at the three men over what they had originally thought of before Mac had shown up. The trio left then, leaving Nick behind with a sense of doom.

He would be spending the night in front of Barba’s place to make sure he’s still okay.

**

Barba was an owl. He was working still by the time Nick passed on his way home and the other man sighed. Their earlier conversation probably had shaken the man. Nick sighed, parked his car and went up to Barba’s apartment after bypassing the security guard in his lobby. At least Barba had that security feature though Nick had talked to the man sitting there to not announce him and given his badge, the man complied. 

Then he knocked on Barba’s door and the man opened up, surprise written on his face: “Detective Amaro.”

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay and offer to talk, given that earlier wasn’t that great. I also wanted to apologize.”

Barba opened the door wide and waved the other man in: “I must admit I was shocked. I don’t have anyone in my family that is a Guide or Sentinel.”

Nick nodded, accepting a seat on the couch where Rafael had indicated him to sit: “Neither do I. Nonetheless, I came online in my first shootout.”

“Do you think I will come online?” Barba asked seriously: “I know that most Guides and Sentinels stay latent.”

Nick shrugged: “I guess some do. Those that never come across any danger that makes them want to protect someone or just jumpstarts them. I really do believe you will be coming online soon. That is why I introduced you to the Alpha Primes. They are strong enough to catch you when you come online right away and make sure you’re safe.”

“What will happen to my career,” Barba said. Not ask, no, he was pretty sure what would be happening: “It’s pointless to stay around until I come online, isn’t it?”

Amaro shook his head: “No, Barba, it isn’t.”

“I think given the setting you can call me Rafael,” Barba said dryly.

“Rafi,” Nick shortened the name right away with a grin: “I don’t think giving up is your thing. I think you’ll be one of those that can be strong shielded and not let them get to you. With or without your Sentinel. Don’t ever give up before it’s set in stone.”

“Nick, I know you’ve been online for some time now, given how you are reacting most of the time.” Rafael then went and got them two glasses on the table: “You drinking?”

“Not tonight,” Nick shrugged: “I’m not too stable right now.”

“What do you think? How long until I reach that level of shielding?” Barba asked.

Nick sighed and took the offered water: “If you start meditating now? Probably right away but there are good days and bad days. There are those that you feel close for and those that you don’t like. You will slip up.”

“So basically even if I am shielded, I would have to always be assessed before a case that I’m not too close?” Barba asked: “How am I supposed to live like this?”

Shaking his head, Nick looked at the other man: “You don’t give up.” Nick then leant forward: “I’ve been online since I was nineteen. It is hard going day after day, week after week without your Guide. The same will be happening to you. It could be days, months, years before you find your Sentinel. You need to think about a plan b or plan c now.”

Rafael fell silent, worrying his glass of scotch in his hand while Nick looked at the other man, assessing him quietly. It was hard on him, seeing the other man like this. Broken in a way, beat that he rarely ever was in a courtroom.

“Are you staying?” Barba asked. Nick realized that Barba probably already knew that about him, mentally empathic enough.

“If you let me,” Nick shrugged: “It would ease my mind.”

Barba smiled: “Probably a Sentinel thing?”

“Might even be a cop thing,” Nick replied: “I’m not to leave a friend in an instable situation that goes through a crisis and could think it would be normal to go through pain that can be crippling and feel like your own.”

Barba smiled: “So you plan on staying until I come online? That could take months.”

“I don’t think so,” Nick confessed: “If you don’t want me around, fine. I’ll be happy to help you meditate and learn to build your shields.”

Stifling a yawn, Barba nodded: “Yeah, okay. That would be good but right now, I’m too tired.”

Nick chuckled: “Meditating when you’re tired isn’t good. You tend to fall asleep. Trust me on that. Look, whenever you feel stressed out the next few days, close your eyes, imagine a place where you find peace and quiet and try to only think of that and nothing else.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Barba said: “Need me to show you around?”

Nick shook his head: “The dusty smelling room will be the guest bedroom, the one with the water running through the pipes the bathroom and the last room that smells of you obviously your bedroom.”

“You really are a Sentinel. What do I smell like?”

“Not easy to say. It depends on what you ate or where you were,” Nick replied: “Mostly you smell of Cuban food, cinnamon, roses and sometimes scotch.”

Barba grimaced: “Probably not the best smells for a Sentinel.”

Nick shrugged it off: “Not really. You get used to it and those are definitely smells I can enjoy and prefer.”

“Do I need to tell my cleaning staff to change chemicals?”

“Eventually, yes. I won’t stay around long enough to be exposed but Sentinel friendly products will be easier when you find your Sentinel. They’re not hard to purchase and are actually economically better.” Nick explained: “Once you’re online, you will be asked to visit the Centers to learn all that if you don’t find a Sentinel the first week.”

They said goodnight on the doors and Nick headed to the guest bedroom, eventually falling asleep to the sounds of Barba breathing.

**

As luck would have it, Nick stayed the one night that was the one that counted.

Being woken by a muffled sound coming up from the lobby, Nick sat up straight in his bed. Something was wrong and he quickly focused his senses of hearing on the lobby.

Someone was making their way up the elevator while one heartbeat that had been in the building earlier was missing. The lobby man.

Nick frowned and sat up, taking out his gun and quietly making his way to the hallway and the front door, quickly sliding the extra locks into place given that Barba hadn’t locked them, thinking Nick would be leaving and then simply forgetting about it.

Contemplating of waking Barba, Nick went back to the room, entering Barba’s bedroom while the elevator stopped on their floor. Nick didn’t hesitate then. He held a hand over Barba’s mouth and the man startled awake: “Shh, its me, Nick. Someone killed the lobby guy and is on this floor.”

Barba startled awake fully then, seeing Nick’s gun in his hand and nodded: “Now?”

“Approaching the door,” Nick replied: “If they come in here, I want you to head to the bathroom and hide in the bathtub.”

“What about you?”

“I’m a Sentinel protecting a Guide and a cop,” Nick reassured the other man: “Oh and call 911 and tell them a Sentinel is on site.”

Barba should know that, given that they went through those talks quite often but finding yourself in the situation was different. Nick pushed the cellphone at Barba and indicated the bathroom: “They stopped in front of your door. I’m not sure if they try to kick the door in or pick the lock.”

“Be careful,” Rafael said but something was different about him now.

Before Nick could hide Barba in the bathroom, the front door opened and a man was quickly and heavily entering the apartment, searching first the guestroom, then the living room and kitchen before entering the bedroom. All this had happened in less than a minute in which Nick had backed away from the bedroom door, choosing an angle where he wasn’t seen directly and where Barba was behind him. 

At least the man had dialed 911 and was waiting for the operator to pick up. Nick was pointing the gun at the door when the door opened and a man came in, night vision on and Nick yelled: “NYPD freeze!”

The man turned, gun in hand and Nick shot, straight through the shoulder while the man shot as well but missed both of them. Then the intruder dropped the gun and came at Nick while Barba in the background yelled at the operator to send help, identifying himself as DA, Nick as cop, as Sentinel and an unknown intruder.

The intruder didn’t say anything but the rage reached Nick right away and they fought, Nick trying to get another shot off but he was too close and the man was fending Nick off. Nick dropped the gun before he accidentally shot Rafael.

The stranger hadn’t counted on a Sentinel protecting a friend and a Guide. Stronger now, Nick fought, punching the man and fighting off the knife the attacker suddenly had. Apparently the man had a lot of anger in him to last that long with a bullet in his shoulder.

“Get out of the way asshole, I want Barba!” the man finally said but Nick dislodged the goggles and punched the man, shoving him off. Nick knew he was feral now. The fight coming easier now, punching without remorse and definitely out for killing the man if he had to.

The man was giving back as good as he could. Nick was honestly surprised but then he smelled it. Drugs. The one thing that could make people stronger than a Sentinel.

He didn’t quite know how long they had fought for when Barba had said: “Get down, Nick!” quiet enough that the other wouldn’t possible hear.

Nick dropped and Barba shot.

The next few seconds were frozen in silence and shock. Barba’s face was clear and telltale for Nick’s eyes and the darkness in the room. The gun, still in Rafael’s hands was shaking now. Nick saw that it was his own and realized with a start that they would be separated right after the police came in.

“Rafi?” Nick asked: “You came online.”

Now, dropping the gun to the floor, Rafael turned to look at him: “I think I did.”

“Do you-“ Nick stopped and hesitated. He didn’t know how to ask whether Barba had realized he was his Guide or not.

“You’re my Sentinel Nick.”

Nick nodded, surprised that the other man was realizing that right away. He himself had just figured out how he had reacted: “I am. I didn’t know.”

“I realized it when I knew I had to protect you,” Rafael said.

“Barba-“

“Thank you, Nick, for being here,” he said in a whisper and Nick stepped closer, wrapping his arms around the other man, taking a deep breath, smelling him and relaxing now that the threat was gone.

“Rafi,” he replied brokenly. They shared a kiss, lips meeting lips for the first time and something just clicking.

That was until Nick heard the commotion at the door and turned around, shoving the DA behind himself to protect him again if necessary. He winced when he pulled his bruised body.

“NYPD!” the guys yelled and Nick replied: “Detective Amaro, NYPD, I’m with my Guide.”

The first two men rounded the corner and nearly fell over the goggles lying on the floor: “Detective?”

“We’re good,” Amaro replied but Barba cut in: “My Sentinel is injured.”

The officer looked at the man on the floor: “Life sign?”

“None,” Amaro replied: “Not that I tried to do CPR.”

The officer took his radio: “Need an ambulance and the coroner again.”

“The lobby guy?” Nick asked and the officer shook his head: “Detective, where is your badge?”

“In the guest bedroom on the bedside table,” Nick replied: “My gun is on the floor and my backup also on the bedroom table.”

The other officer went over to the other room and returned with both items: “Detective Amaro, SVU.”

“Do we need to call your Sergeant?”

“Yes, and Detective Messer and Taylor,” Nick replied.

After that, it got quiet and Rafael was lead out of the room with Nick to sit down in the living room. Rafael was staring straight ahead and Nick took his hand: “How are you holding up?”

“Considering that my first mental impression was a madman trying to kill us?” Barba replied dryly: “I felt you before I felt him. Your need to protect, to fight him off and to make sure I’m safe. Then his rage and hatred followed. I stopped focusing on him and focused on you and your instinct to protect me, your friendship and hope.”

“Do you know who he is?”

“I didn’t even see him yet, Nick. The lights were off.”

“Oh,” Nick replied dumbly and took the newly Guide’s hand in his. He then saw his knuckles, turned red from the blood and frowned. He didn’t feel them.

“What is it?”

“I don’t feel any pain,” Nick explained: “I turned it off.”

Rafael looked at him like Nick had grown two heads: “What are you waiting for? Turn it back on! You need to feel my skin under your fingertips as plain as any other day. The pain is there to remind you you’re alive.”

Nick followed the complaint from his Guide and winced when his injuries registered: “That hurts.”

“Good,” Barba said: “Now that it’s back to normal, dial it down until you feel a light throb. Don’t turn it off.”

Nick grinned: “You’re a natural.”

The ambulance arrived then and the men were walking over: “Detective?”

“He’s a Sentinel and hurt,” Barba said: “Fought a big guy off.”

The guy kneeling down in front of Nick smiled at the Guide while Nick let himself be checked through. He was feeling slightly better when the door burst open and the Alpha Trio waltzed in, taking over the crime scene – followed by two of their crime unit – and headed over to Barba and Nick: “Guide Barba, Sentinel Amaro.”

“Twice in one day, ain’t we lucky,” Nick joked but winced when the EMT checking him out hit a sore spot.

“How are you feeling, Rafael?” Don asked carefully and settled down on the couch with them.

Looking around the room, Barba indicated that: “You’ve seen what’s happened here? What do you think I feel like?”

Don shrugged: “You’re already closing off your shields. That is impressive given you just came online. Therefore, I cannot tell what you feel like and I’d like to be there for you if I can.”

“The shock probably hasn’t settled in yet,” he replied: “I was attacked by Nick’s feeling right away and I’m certain they swapped over to me.”

“Because you shot the man?” Danny asked carefully.

Rafael nodded: “I did. I didn’t mean to in a way. I just reacted.”

“You know the law states that you’re in the right?” Danny asked.

“That doesn’t make it any better that I killed someone,” Rafael replied.

Nick’s hand settled back on that of his Guide: “You protected me, you didn’t use the rage and hatred that one had. You had the right to shoot him on your property and attacking you. You are an online Guide and helped a Sentinel. You know the law better than anyone Rafi.”

Rafael nodded but sighed heavily: “Will I remember this?”

“Yes, but you won’t feel guilty for it after a night’s sleep,” Don replied: “It was justified and you helped your friend.”

“That man had already killed once before facing you,” Mac said honestly: “If he had had the chance, he wouldn’t have hesitated. You’re lucky a Sentinel was here to warn you.”

Rafael nodded: “I know that. I just need some time with this.”

Nick nodded at the other man and looked around the many people: “How long will we have to stay?”

“We need to take your prints and make a gunpowder test. Then we’ll photograph your injuries to match them. Did you notice anything else?” Mac asked.

“He had a night vision goggle that I removed. I shot him but he barely seemed to feel that and I think I smelled drugs,” Nick explained: “I heard him kill the man downstairs and pick the lock.”

They fell silent for a moment, letting the people around them work and Nick’s injuries being bandaged and catalogued. Their pathologist was as thorough as Melinda was. Nick watched the man quite a while before he was drawn to downstairs with his hearing: “Olivia is here.”

Barba groaned and leant back in his pillows: “First my yachting outfit, now my pyjama.”

“At least your pyjama is not as brightly colored,” Nick replied teasingly.

Rafael focused on the other man: “Your senses?”

“Good, I guess. Normal,” Nick replied and looked at the frown the three Alphas threw them: “What?”

“Are you compatible?” Mac asked.

“The first clear thought I had was that we are, so yes, I think we are,” Barba replied and Nick nodded: “We are a match. Sadly, it’s hectic here.”

Danny chuckled: “And your team is here. Lucky you.”

“Nick? Rafael?” Olivia asked and pretty much stormed into the room.

“Sergeant Benson?” Mac intercepted her halfway to them: “I’m Detective Taylor with the Crime Scene. Detective Flack is with Homicide and our Sentinel Danny Messer is with me. We’re here as Sentinels and Guide due to DA Barba just coming online as a Guide. Detective Amaro reacted excellently in protecting a Guide and after examination the scene, we’ll let you know our results.”

“Are they in trouble?” she asked right away.

“We have a camera downstairs in the lobby where the attacker is visible and shot the man on sight. We have reason to believe, and we have evidence, that he worked on the lock and cut the chain. After that we found a hole in the wall behind where both Sentinel and Guide were standing in front of. We have the operator’s recording that Nick identified himself as NYPD. As far as I see it, this is a cleared shooting. Attacking a Guide in the presence of a Sentinel rarely leads to the attacker walking away.”

“Most are only injured though,” Barba snapped: “I shot him.”

“You shot him?” Olivia asked in surprise. 

Don cleared his throat: “What Guide Barba failed to acknowledge is that as a newly online Guide, you pretty much sense everything that is around you. Luckily, Nick was standing closest and given that they are a matching pair, Barba only latched onto his emotions. The emotions of a feral Sentinel in front of their Guide is always protection. I believe Guide Barba was feeling the need to protect as strongly as his Sentinel did and the only possible response to that was shooting the attacker.”

Olivia nodded and looked behind her when Tutuola, Carisi and Rollins barged into the room. Olivia ignored them: “They are a match? No problems for Barba to lose his position?”

“He’s my Sentinel,” Barba replied: “I’m certain of it.”

“Good,” Olivia smiled brightly: “I’m really happy this worked out like this.”

Rafael rolled his eyes because he just knew she wanted to use him as a Guide now that he was basically attached to Nick’s hip.

“Bond integrity test tomorrow after dinner?” Danny asked quickly: “You can leave now and let your fellow detectives bring you home.”

“I am home,” Barba replied dryly: “Can I pack a suit from my walk-in-closet that was still closed last I checked?”

“You can,” Mac replied and waved at the area where Rafael quickly headed to. Nick followed him with his senses while Rollins sat down next to him: “So, Barba?”

Nick shrugged but didn’t tell her a thing. It was his business and it was now Rafael’s business but no one else’s. Given that she had been rather bitchy and unfriendly and provocative lately, Nick didn’t verbally reply, making her frown at him.

Sonny was watching the exchange while Fin rolled his eyes at them. Olivia pretended not to see anything and Nick looked at the guest bedroom: “Mac? Can I get my spare gun, badge and cloths?”

“They were in the guestroom, correct?”

“Until the first officers at the scene brought them to me for identification,” Nick added.

“Go ahead, we don’t have traces to get from there.”

Nick got dressed then, as did Barba and they were ushered out of the apartment by the whole SVU team. Olivia was offering to let them stay at her place but Nick quickly shook his head: “Sorry, Liv, Noah is crying every now and then and I can’t-“

“Oh, I’m sorry Nick, I didn’t think. Of course,” she smiled at him: “Your place?”

“Any place with a bed sounds good,” Barba replied: “I probably should call in sick anyways.”

“You plan on spending tomorrow cleaning up your place?”

Nick pretty much banged his head on the glass window while Olivia drove. Rafael cleared his throat uncomfortably: “I just came online as a Guide and have a Sentinel that is compatible.”

Olivia blushed: “Oh, right. Nick, take as long as you need.”

**

“What an uncomfortable silence in that car,” Rafael said and entered behind Nick the apartment.

Nick rolled his eyes: “Let’s just forget this.”

They put their things down in the living room and headed for Nick’s bedroom. Unlike Barba, Nick only had one room but that was fine now. They dressed down to their underwear when Barba hesitated: “I don’t know how this works.”

“What exactly? The bonding? Possible sex with another man?” Nick asked carefully and sat down on the bed next to Rafael. Both knew they needed to talk about this. Too many rape cases under their belts, too many dubious consent stories, too many Guides that were pressured into sex and bonding by an unsuitable Sentinel that resulted in domestic violence and death. Talking and consenting was very important now.

“Oh no, I’m bisexual, that’s not the problem. I meant the bonding. Being a Guide and a good one,” Rafael sighed.

Nick nodded: “Okay, first of all, I’ve found you attractive since our shouting match in the elevator. God, you were hot. I started to like you right after that as well. Just to be clear on my consent being freely given. You being a Guide even a new one, doesn’t matter. Your instincts will protect you. Yes, you will learn a few things but having me as a Sentinel that is online for a long time will just help you with your mental shields to form quicker. You’ll be in my head, know what I know and as a result can use my knowledge, namely making shields and guiding me.”

Rafael nodded, his eyes never leaving Nick’s: “You found me attractive for that long? Damn, we’ve been missing out on some spectacular sex.”

Nick laughed: “Do you consent to being my Guide, to bonding to me freely? To go into bed with me and practically marrying me on the spot?”

“You’re my Sentinel, Nick. I don’t think there’s anyone else out there for me. I agree to bond with you, if you’ll have me, Sentinel.”

Nick’s answer was lips pressed to Rafael and now, now that the stress was over, Nick could taste his Guide, smell him, touch him, breathe him in and take him in.

It was like coming home. It was justifying any and all hard choices he had lived through if it meant having ended up here.

It was a void that had now been filled with the most perfect piece of a puzzle that existed. The most perfect man for Nick.

“Stop thinking,” Barba complained and Nick stopped.

Tbc


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mentioning a few other fandoms; mainly chicago pd

**

Arriving at the bond integrity test the following night, Barba passed with flying colors and could mentally shield himself enough that the Alphas were agreeing he was able to do his job as ADA without being more empathic than thought.

They were barely out the front door when they were invited to the conference of Amanda’s old Chief and followed the invitation. Nick was barely leaving Rafael’s side but stayed back for drinks when the whole squad bailed. Frowning at Amanda’s behavior, he looked next to himself and at his Guide: “Do you sense anything from her?”

“She is unstable. She is scared and actually afraid of him. More I cannot tell but I’m certain there is a story there,” Barba replied, taking a sip from his drink: “We should stick around so I can get a real read on Patton. Something is wrong.”

“I know; I feel the same about him. An itch I can’t scratch. That and I know Amanda’s reaction is not normal.” Nick insisted.

Rafael smiled: “Thanks to you I get the feeling as if I’d known her for years as well. Your relationship with her is helpful.”

“It wasn’t a real relationship, you know that about us,” Nick replied: “But she’s off. Ever since she and Fin had been in Atlanta.”

“I’ve noticed. Now so more than before I came online but I know,” Barba replied. They were staying quiet, keeping away from almost everyone and just watching from the sidelines. Nick sighed and checked the watch not two hours later. They would need to go home and catch some sleep now that they were cleared for working again.

Barba was still hesitating to go back to his apartment after having shot the intruder a few nights before. Nick had let him be, not pressuring him as long as they could stay at Nick’s place.

Heading home that night, Nick and Rafael both were shocked to hear what the Detective Taymor had to say the following day. Nick was luckily staying away from the hospital but when they were talking to Amanda after that, both Nick and Rafael could read Amanda easily. Nick through body language and her beating heart, the sweat and alcohol she was trying to suppress under perfume and Rafael through reading her shields.

Pressuring her, though, that wasn’t in their books just yet.

The whole case, Nick and Rafael had problems working together. They were newly bonded and it showed to the detectives around them. They were trying to stick together but seeing their different jobs that wasn’t possible.

Separating, while having a new bond, was hurting them quite a bit but it wasn’t as if they needed to hold hands.

“Nick?” Olivia asked them, pressured by Noah’s case and the troubles Rollins had going on, surprised Nick. She was always there for everyone and Nick admired that about her: “How are you and Barba settling in?”

“Good,” Nick shrugged: “He’s better now that we’re bonded and it meshes together in our minds. It’s like my fears, past and troubles are soothed by his mental insight while his past with his father and the shooting he did to protect me are milder, easier to accept now that he’s not alone in his own mind.”

Olivia looked at him calculating: “After this is over, we’ll take him with us when we need the legal pressure. We’ll see how you work together in the field and interrogating people if you agree.”

“Probably not a bad idea,” Nick replied.

**

Their next big case was the girl in the suitcase and Olivia’s plan to take Barba and him out into the field together was rather successful though of course Nick wouldn’t agree to letting Barba come with them all the time. The fact that the man was a lawyer before going to the television was one reason, the other simply because Barba enjoyed playing chess with those men and getting the upper hand in court and outsmarting them with the help of the detectives.

Nick enjoyed watching Rafael in his element, talking to people and not getting the smallest twitch within seconds and knowing exactly when he had their perpetrator was mentally stressed to get the correct information out of them.

It was a tactic they wouldn’t always use simply because the other detectives in their team were excellent at interrogating, Nick most of the time behind the window to tell when a heartbeat was skipping a beat in an obvious lie.

The only trouble was, that no one knew about him being a Sentinel and thus it wasn’t allowed to use their information in court. Nick had been asked before to let Barba know he was a Sentinel but it was Nick’s decision, now Rafael’s as well, but they weren’t telling just yet. Even if it was known they could read it to get the truth out of people, so far they had found other evidence to convince the jury or was enough for a trial. A Sentinel and Guide’s intuition alone wasn’t enough.

And then there was the fine line between following the law to the latter and starting a Sentinel Hunt.

They had been close to start one in the NYPD but the Alphas of more than a decade now had denied, knowing exactly where this was heading. A Sentinel Hunt was only in extreme cases where more than a dozen Sentinel and Guide pairs had absolutely no doubt that one was at fault and in danger of killing or harming more people without the justice system being able to catch them. Then and only then was a Sentinel Hunt called out and the one being hunted had to be captured dead or alive.

**

The whole pressure point that caused quite a break was when Nick’s father showed up.

Surprised, Nick hadn’t even known what to say, much less think when he saw the man that fathered him. It was enough for Olivia to feel his obvious distress but sadly Sonny hadn’t been around them long enough to see Nick’s tells and therefore the troubles he actually had.

Not having another reason not to go with his father, Nick shored up his mental shields and tried to be stronger, tried to mentally reach out to Rafael. He had heard while leaving the building that Olivia had gathered Rollins, Tutuola and Carisi and told them not to breathe a word about Nick to his family, no matter what they thought might be going on. Then she had reached for the phone and called Rafael.

Of course his Guide had already known he was distressed to some point. Sadly, he was too far away to come and see him right away and therefore Nick had to follow him to the restaurant alone.

Mentally distancing himself from the man that had hit him was helping only so much. The pain Nick had felt as a kid and young adult was more than he could handle, even after all those years but there was one thing that was different now. Nick was a Sentinel. A Sentinel with a Guide and a Pack behind his back and to protect. A family. He was a father now as well.

He wouldn’t tolerate it ever again to be beaten by this man. Mentally or physically.

Not in the slightest surprised that his father wanted him to come to the wedding that night and the following day with a girl that could be Nick’s daughter was something he hadn’t figured but then again, it had been likely. The dislike grew even more and Nick hoped to god that this girl was able to get away before it was too late.

Hearing that his sister was there for the wedding and that his mother, a woman who had long since divorced the man, was okay with it was all but the last straw for Nick. He stormed out, no longer wanting to confront the man and see or hear him.

The ringing of his phone on the way to his mother drew him out of his thoughts: “Amaro?”

“Nick,” Rafael’s voice came over the phone, soothing him and making him calmer than he had thought possible: “Calm down.”

“You know what my father did, Rafi, and now he wants to marry a woman that is barely twenty-five.” Nick seethed.

Barba sighed: “I know but you cannot change it. Please calm down and distance yourself from this. You can’t help or argue with anyone when you’re this upset. Do you want me to come over?”

“No, not yet,” Nick replied: “I won’t be going to the wedding and I’ll be talking to my mother for a moment. Otherwise I’ll be back to work right away.”

Rafael sighed: “I’ll come and pick you up after work, okay?”

“Very,” Nick answered and hung up. Climbing the stairs to his mother’s apartment: “Barba, my daughter is here.”

“Zara? What is she doing here?” Barba was surprised: “Take care of her.”

“I will,” Nick replied and hung up. He needed to play-act now that he didn’t know she was here. It was the one game he played with his family that they had never known about him being a Sentinel. Nick wasn’t quite sure why he never told them but it might be because he was estranged to his father while the others talked to him regularly and Nick really didn’t want the man to know anything about him.

Much less that his Guide was male now. That would go over badly.

Opening the door to his mother’s place and seeing Sonya there was one surprise but he guessed that was obvious that everyone would already know about the wedding and the girlfriend of his father way before he did.

“Daddy!” his little girl called out and he turned to her, surprise written over his face and wrapping the girl in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and breathed her in. 

It was simply amazing to have her here, even if she was being used in a game she was too young to realize. She talked excitedly about the wedding and Nick had to give her that. She would be in good hands with his mother despite their arguments. Sending his daughter away again after just wrapping his arms around her wasn’t easy but the excuse of wanting to see her dress was definitely convincing her while he was madly talking to Sony and his mother. He wouldn’t come, no matter what. 

“If he hurts Zara, if I get wind of her harming her in any way, he’ll be dead before he can blink,” Nick threatened and his mother stared at him while his sister frowned. Neither woman could possibly understand how serious he was about this now.

Zara returned before the women could get over their shocked state and reply. She wore a beautiful dress and Nick asked his sister to make a picture of them together with his phone. He then fired a quick text to Olivia that his daughter was there as a surprise and whether he could have a few more minutes before returning to work, promising he would catch up later that night.

Olivia, ever since becoming a mother herself was more likely to agree, knowing how precious this little time with their kids meant.

So he looked at the dress, commented on how her hair should be done and then watched her taking it off again so it wouldn’t get dirty before tonight’s event. Then he sat down with her and drew a picture and helped her write a letter.

When his phone rang, he looked at his daughter but she smiled at him: “You were here longer than I thought. Your work is important, daddy. Can I see you tonight after the party?”

“Of course, you can call me when you want to come home and I’ll pick you up,” Nick agreed, pressed a kiss to her forehead: “I wish you fun tonight.”

Feeling better now, Nick returned back to work and as promised stayed late to finished the paperwork for Olivia that he had missed out to spend some time with his daughter and the fact that Rafael wasn’t off of work yet.

That was when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID: “Zara?”

“Daddy, please come, they’re fighting! I’m scared.”

That was probably one of the worst calls you could ever get as a father.

As a Sentinel.

Arriving at the scene was chaos. A lot of cops, a lot of ambulances and in the middle his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her, breathing a sign of relief of seeing her unharmed right before his mother came along.

Showing his badge, he ordered some officers to get his daughter and mother home, promising Zara that he would see to the end of this.

Seeing his father in cuffs, Nick stopped the officers briefly: “What did you do?” Nick accused and took a quick smell off of him. He smelled of the usual substances found at a party and of blood.

Frowning, Nick nodded and let them pass, advising his father to follow the officer’s lead and also telling them not to let him get away with anything. 

Making his way inside, Gabriella was wheeled out, Nick briefly let the ambulance stop: “I’m Detective Nick Amaro, Gabriella, what did he do to you?” he could smell his father all over her and now that he knew what she smelled like, he had smelled her blood on his father’s skin. Only Gabriella’s own father and mother smelled of her blood on the scene.

“Your father, he hit me,” she whispered and winced in pain. Nick winced in sympathy and looked at her: “Esta bien, it’s gonna be okay. If Nicolas did this, I’ll get him for this.”

“He was so angry, saying I didn’t respect him,” she replied and Nick looked at the ambulance team: “Take good care of her and don’t let anyone of the family see her before my Serge came by.”

“We’ll tell the hospital,” the man said and wheeled Gabriella away. Nick turned and looked at the chaos and sighed.

“Nick?” he spun on his heel, seeing Danny Messer arriving: “Hey what’s going on here?”

“I don’t know. My family is involved,” Nick confessed: “Listen, if you get any evidence my father did this, make it stick.”

The surprise was telltale and the crime scene unit went ahead while Nick called Rafael: “Hey.”

“What’s wrong now?”

Nick sighed: “My father hit Gabriella. I smelled her blood all over him and only her father and mother have the blood on them that is hers. My daughter is frightened.”

“Do you need me there?”

“No, better no one knows about this yet. Rafi, if you can make the case, do it. I’ll go to court or whatever but I cannot tolerate him being around anyone.”

“Of course. Do you take Zara tonight? Do you want me there?”

Nick hesitated: “I don’t know. She might be better off at my family’s place. If I start working the case with Olivia and promising to testify, they’ll hate me.”

“You can’t let that stop you from seeing your daughter,” Rafael said softly: “At lease see her at her place.”

Nick agreed. They were saying goodnight though Rafael was going to spend the night at his place as usual but he might already be asleep by the time Nick returned.

**

The next morning was coming way too soon and Nick sighed, rolling out of bed, kissing his Guide on the lips before heading off to the bathroom.

Rafael usually had more troubles waking up so Nick made some coffee, got dressed and made his way to the SVU. By now Olivia would have gotten the case and Nick knew he was about to be behind a desk.

Dodds was there as well and Nick sighed. He entered the room, looking at them and what they were talking about: “Nick,” Olivia turned: “What happened?”

“I was there last night after my daughter called me,” Nick replied: “My dad was there and trying to get me to take him out of custody. I told him to stick with what the police were saying. Then I went to Gabriella.”

“What was she saying?” Olivia asked.

“That it was my father. I told the ambulance team to not let anyone of my family close so that they wouldn’t influence her to change her story.” Nick said: “I checked on everyone of my family and left when the detectives of the crime scene told me to.”

The Deputy Chief was frowning: “And why weren’t you with your family at the hospital?”

“My daughter was fine and I went to see her and my mother. I also didn’t want to influence Gabriella.” Nick replied: “I’ll testify in court if I have to.”

“Nick, what else?” Olivia asked.

Nick frowned at the Deputy Chief but replied: “Nicolas smelled of her blood. Only her parents smelled of her blood. No one else on the scene had the trace of blood on them.”

“You’re a Sentinel?” the Chief asked and Nick hated that the man had that knowledge now.

“Alphas Detective Taylor and Messer are prepared to fight the board if you use this information against us, him or anyone else,” Olivia said: “This is private information and not even Detective Amaro’s family know about this. We always try to get the evidence without that.”

Dodds nodded: “Understood,” he turned to Nick: “Desk-duty for you.”

“Yes Sir,” Nick replied: “I’ll go through the witness reports and see what I can find.”

Olivia nodded and Nick headed outside to his team. Amanda was throwing him a look but they hadn’t talked much, even if her hostility had changed towards him ever since he had gotten together with Barba. Tutuola and Carisi were already checking witnesses.

He dug his way through the paperwork and listened in to Olivia and Dodds. He had to hear in surprise that Gabriella had changed her statement. He sighed. Maybe he could convince her but that would have to be decided by Rafael if it was on legal grounds if he got her to talk about it.

“You were just thinking about me,” Rafael said and walked up to him with a smile: “What was it about?”

“Going to see Gabriella to make her rethink her testimony and file it,” Nick said: “But only if Olivia and you sign up on it.”

Rafael thought about it for a moment: “You said you smelled her blood on him? That has to be enough. If we have to get you into the stand, we’ll have to probably tell them you are a Sentinel.”

“If we don’t have enough evidence, I’ll tell them,” Nick agreed: “Tonight?”

“Zara?”

“Also telling her,” Nick shrugged.

“Good,” Barba continued his way to Olivia.

**

Heading to the hospital with Olivia and Rafael was nothing new. It was rare that his Guide came with him but Nick ignored it and went over to Gabriella’s parents waiting on the hallway: “Mr and Mrs Nuñez, I’m Detective Nick Amaro, this is my Sergeant Olivia Benson and our District Attorney Rafael Barba,” Nick introduced them and followed along: “I was on the scene last night but you obviously noticed me not being at the party. I want to get Nicolas brought to justice if he did it and therefore we need to convince your daughter.”

“You would go against your father?” Luis Nuñez asked surprised.

Nick sighed: “This isn’t something new. I just never had the grounds because my mother didn’t tell anyone he was hitting her and I obviously left the family once I could.”

“Please convince my daughter,” he agreed and let them pass.

Olivia nodded encouragingly at him and he entered the room: “Gabriella?”

“Nick, wasn’t it?” she asked, heavily bandaged.

Nick nodded and indicated Rafael: “Out DA Barba and Sergeant Benson. We’re here to ask you again what happened last night.”

“I already told you, Javier attacked me.” She said and Nick heard her heart skip. It was Rafael that said anything though: “Miss Nuñez, I’m a Guide and Detective Amaro is a Sentinel.”

Surprised, her eyes focused on Nick again: “Your father didn’t say anything.”

“He doesn’t know,” Nick replied: “I don’t want him to know.”

Gabriella nodded: “I was dancing with Javier. Nicolas was looking at me and then he was dragging me downstairs, telling me I am not respecting you and he hit me.”

“Will you testify to that in court?”

“Only if I have to,” she replied: “But I’ll file the paperwork.”

Rafael nodded: “We can work with that.”

**

The pressure of visiting his father in prison was telltale. Nicolas wanted that Nick would bail him out, accusing him of not doing anything and not having enough money. Once again, Nick was close to losing it. He knew it was a mistake visiting him but he had hoped to get something from him. Not so much luck there.

Heading home after a long night, Nick dropped by his mother’s place, getting yelled at that he didn’t get Nicolas out while Nick simply shook his head and took Zara with him.

Her room at his place was still there, her stuff right next to Gilberto’s. Nick let her into the apartment: “What do you want for dinner?”

“Can we have some pizza?” she asked: “We only had Mexican this afternoon.”

Nick looked into his fridge and surveyed what was edible and what wasn’t: “Well, I think I have enough to make some pizza but I might have to call a friend and ask him to bring some toppings.”

“A friend?” Zara asked: “A girlfriend?”

Nick took out some dry yeast and set it aside. He turned to Zara and shrugged: “Look, I know I haven’t been around you lately and I don’t know what Mom told you about me.”

Zara looked at him: “She doesn’t want you to be unhappy. She does as if she doesn’t care but I know she cares about you.”

“I meant that I am a Sentinel,” Nick said simply: “I only told your mother and Sonya doesn’t know, nor does anyone else in the family.”

Zara looked at him in surprise: “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

Nick sighed: “Partly because of my job. It could be used against me. You could be used against me. I want to protect you and I want to protect myself.”

“And your new girlfriend?”

“It’s not a girlfriend. It’s a boyfriend. And he’s my Guide.” Nick corrected her.

“Can I meet him?” Zara asked curiously: “He needs to be perfect for you.”

“You can meet him, if we make him some pizza,” Nick grinned: “He’d love to meet you.”

Zara happily took the instructions Nick gave her for making the dough – olive oil, four, sugar, salt – and mixed it in a bowl. Nick fired off a text to Rafael what he should bring and then turned to make some onions and garlic for the tomato sauce. Finishing it with some oregano and basil, he let it simmer while Zara was mixing the dough. 

“Dad, since when do you know how to make pizza?” Zara asked: “We never did that before.”

“Ever since I am a Sentinel I had troubles with food but I didn’t have time. I learned pizza from Rafael and Olivia. We sometimes hang out together and as a result, we started cooking together to eat healthy.”

“Can I show mom how we did this?”

“Of course,” Nick laughed and wiped some flour from his daughter’s cheek: “Ah, I think Rafael is here.”

“I didn’t hear anything.”

“You probably can’t hear his heartbeat from two blocks away,” Nick agreed: “But Zara, I want you to be careful of your own senses. You’re my daughter so you could be a Guide or Sentinel as well.”

“We have Sentinel and Guide Education at school,” Zara replied and helped Nick with rolling the dough flat to lay on a baking tin: “we learn what to do and what to look out for. I’m really happy you found your Guide, Daddy, even if it’s not mom.”

Nick smiled at his daughter and heard the key turn in the lock: “Nick?”

“Kitchen,” Nick replied. He listened to Rafael drop the key in his usual space and wondered how quickly it had been that Rafael had more or less moved in. They would soon decide to get a new apartment with more space but that was after Rafael and he were on a bit steadier ground, not still newly bonded.

“Ah, you must be the famous Zara,” Rafael said and greeted the girl, dropping the groceries bag on the counter: “Pizza?”

“Yes,” Zara replied: “And you’re Guide Rafael?”

“I am,” Rafael replied, quickly leaning over to press a kiss to Nick’s lips: “Senses?”

“All good,” Nick replied before going back to what he was doing, cutting some bell peppers.

Zara eyed Rafael for a second and the man smiled: “I’m not going to bite you and I won’t pressure you. Trust me, Zara, I’m smarter than pressuring the daughter of a Sentinel. Not to mention that I work closely with your Dad and you know what we do.”

Nick was surprised by Rafael’s words and wanted to interrupt him that Zara didn’t know about his work but Zara replied before he could: “You help those that were touched inappropriately and are in no state to fight back?”

“Correct,” Rafael said: “If you ever feel uncomfortable being around me, I want you to tell your Dad, okay?”

Zara nodded and returned back to the pizza: “As long as you don’t like pineapple on your pizza, we’re fine.”

Rafael laughed with Nick.

**

The next day was hectic. Barba was cornered before court to accept a plea, Nick shook his head from the sideline while Barba of course, didn’t agree.

“I don’t take breadcrumbs. Especially from this gentleman who wears suspenders.”

Nick was standing with Olivia, Fin and Sonny and nearly bolted to storm over but Olivia, even if she hadn’t heard what Nicolas had said, stopped Nick: “Hey, your Guide is a grown man and it’s just verbally now.”

Resigned, Nick nodded and followed into court to see a first, miserable day of arguments and counterarguments. Even if Gabriella had written it down, it was still more of a he-said she didn’t say case. Barba was twisting and hoping for Mr Nuñez and Javier to be enough. 

Going out that night, Barba sighed and approached Nick who was sipping on a drink. One drink was enough for the Sentinel: “All my witnesses have a grudge against your father.”

“Thank you,” Nick replied with a smile: “You want me on the stand?”

Rafael sighed: “Not only would it do you some good, it would help the case as well. Maybe even show Gabriella that she can do the same if your testimony doesn’t put a nail in the coffin.”

“Are you planning on telling them I’m a Sentinel?” Nick asked. 

“Are you?”

Nick concentrated on their bond and felt Rafael’s own anger at his own father that was dead for more than fifteen years. He knew his Guide was trying to help him out both ways. By helping him get justice for the crimes against Nick and his mother, the Sentinel in him would be pleased and easier with his past. By getting justice, Nick would be standing up to someone who hurt him and others.

“We should. Just to smack it in his face,” Nick sighed: “Smelling her blood on him…”

“I’ll ask that only when I know we haven’t persuaded the jury.”

“Admit it, you love being a Guide and be able to assess the jury,” Nick laughed, hoping his Guide would accept the change in topic.

“Oh you know me so well,” Barba replied: “That and I want to get back at your father for that suspender comment.”

“Those are hot,” Nick replied and kissed his Guide.

**

Walking into the building with Olivia was relaxing him a little. Meeting his father in the hallway and him actually touching Olivia? Nick couldn’t tolerate that. She was his pack. No way would he allow for her to get harmed or even touched.

Settling down in the stand was a usual occurrence. Enough that Nick had nothing to fear. Even Barba was probably going easier on him than anyone else given that he had a good read on his feelings.

“Why did you believe Ms Nuñez?” Barba asked him after the initial reports and Nick heard the lawyer taking a breath before voicing his request to step forward and Nick didn’t even bother answering.

“Mr Amaro, please answer,” the judge said after Barba was allowed to let the question through.

“Because I recognized what set him off. Whenever he was jealous or felt like he had been disrespected, that’s when he would beat my mother. And me,” Nick admitted: “And I still have nightmares where he uses that same language.”

“Thank you,” Barba said and the lawyer took over. Nick knew what would be happening soon.

After trying to discredit his relationship with his father, the man seriously tried to get Nick to confess that he didn’t know what had happened, to use Nick’s anger.

“I’d say everyone has a temper, counselor,” Nick said.

“Yes but we haven’t all beaten up a civilian.”

“Objection,” Barba yelled.

The judge frowned: “Mr D’Angelo, please ask a question.”

“In plain view of a yard full of schoolchildren, have we?”

Nick looked at Rafael to signal him his opening: “Not everyone is a Sentinel and knows that man was jerking off.”

The silence that fell on the room was telltale. D’Angelo was visibly trying to find his words: “Are you saying you’re a Sentinel?”

“I am,” Nick replied: “I smelled Gabriella’s blood on my father’s hands when I walked across him. The only other two people in the whole crowd that smelled of her blood were her parents. Javier would have a trace of blood on him if he were guilty. I could smell her fear on his skin.”

D’Angelo was clearly struggling, completely caught off guard while Barba smiled at him. The counselor continued: “Is it public knowledge that you’re a Sentinel?”

“Define public,” Nick said.

“Do the Alphas know? Does your family?”

Nick shrugged: “Alphas Taylor, Messer and Flack are aware. My colleagues know and I don’t exactly hide the fact.”

“But your family?”

“My daughter knows,” Nick said.

The judge looked at D’Angelo: “Counselor, is there a point to this?”

“Detective Amaro presented us with a new angle that needs to be explored.” D’Angelo said.

“I see no relevance to this. Detective Amaro said he is a Sentinel and is registered. Smelling blood and fear has been proven to be within a Sentinel’s capabilities.” Barba interrupted.

“We need to know whether he’s stable and reliable as a Sentinel,” D’Angelo said: “He could be zoning, unbonded.”

“But Detective Amaro is not unbonded,” Barba interrupted. 

The judge interrupted them: “The fact that Sentinel Amaro can testify as a detective and a Sentinel as well as a child to the accused are valid. Have you further relevant questions?”

“Are you using this case against your father?”

“No, I’m not,” Nick replied: “You think I want to be here? I don’t want to be here. But he hit her. He smashed her head into a wall.”

“Oh, so you saw it?”

Nick rolled his eyes: “No, but I saw the wall. I smelled the evidence of my father’s sweat, her fear and the blood. He walked passed me and I smelled his content. His amusement.”

“You what?” D’Angelo asked: “How can you smell fear?”

“Objection!” Barba called: “General knowledge states that Sentinels and Guides can detect emotions by smell or empathy.”

“Thank you Mr Barba, I am aware,” the judge replied: “Mr D’Angelo, it is not your right to disregard Detective Amaro’s position as a Sentinel.”

“Who said he’s a Sentinel?” D’Angelo said: “Only one here to know about this is the DA.”

The judge frowned but the door opened and in came Mac Taylor: “Sorry your honor, but I was in the courtroom next door and since I am Alpha Prime of New York State and a Detective I was listening in. Nick Amaro called my Bonded a few weeks ago in a Sentinel and Guide matter. He is Sentinel bordering on Alpha and as such had the ability to detect emotions. Furthermore, all Detectives are trained if they are a Sentinel, to detect mentioned things.”

“Does the jury have any questions regarding Sentinel Amaro’s status?” the judge asked. When no reply came, the judge faced Taylor: “Thank you Sentinel Alpha Taylor.”

Taylor left the room while Barba smiled at Nick again. He looked happy, if nor chipper.

“Any further questions?”

“No, your honor,” D’Angelo said and drew back. Nick was essentially dismissed and headed down to pass Rafael’s desk when Rafael touched him briefly: “Senses?”

“Good,” Nick, nodded: “Thanks.”

The judge frowned: “Mr Barba, are you Sentinel Amaro’s Guide?”

“I am, your honor. We bonded hours within me coming online. I am very lucky.”

“You are, in deed,” the judge nodded. Barba was still smiling so it looked as if the jury was in a good spot.

**

Rafael’s plea was disregarding and stating everything on Nick’s testimony and Gabriella’s written one. Barba’s last sentence nailed the coffin: “How bad must a man be feeling to a Sentinel to be avoided for twenty years?”

In the end, they were surprised that the jury only took twenty minutes. They were nervous and Barba was actually close to doubting his assessment of the jury but Nicolas Amaro was spoken guilty with a six months’ sentence.

Nick was rather happy about this, even if it only meant that the man was leaving his family alone for a short while.

“You could have told us you were a Sentinel,” Sonya accused him: “Everything would be different.”

“How? Would you have believed me? Would you have testified as well?”

Not waiting for a reply, Nick turned to head for his coworkers who were smiling at him and to Rafael, who was hugging him briefly: “You okay?”

“I will be. Now all I have to do is get rid of my last name. He said he had fathered me and that I was Junior for a reason.” Nick shuddered at that.

“Nothing easier than that,” Amanda threw in: “When’s the wedding?”

It obviously was meant as a joke but Rafael and Nick’s shared thoughts were more serious about that.

 

“We’ve been bonded for three weeks, Rollins. Give us a break.”

“What, you’re also bound for life,” she replied: “An official name change will take months.”

Olivia shrugged: “Amanda is right. A marriage certificate would take twenty-four hours.”

Nick rolled his eyes and Rafael shrugged: “Let us find a new place to live, first.”

**

Zara was allowed to stay a few more days under the condition that she would keep up with her schoolwork. She was the reason why Nick wanted to get married while she was still there, if he was doing it.

“You’re thinking about marriage again,” Barba said.

“Yes, but I married Maria before due to the names of our daughter and the whole paperwork if anything happened to either of us,” Nick replied: “I can’t change my name this time.”

“You can, Zara and Maria will be better protected as well. No one would actually think of a Sentinel that has married a Guide to have a former wife with his former last name. They would think of Zara being your niece first.” Rafael argued: “You know arguing with me will be pointless, don’t you?”

Nick rolled his eyes in amusement: “Sadly, yes.” He hesitated: “Do you want to get married?”

“I always thought I wouldn’t due to my sexuality. Now that the laws changed and I am a Guide, it’s a different matter. We’ll always be together, Nick.”

“Then let’s do it.”

**

“Detective Halstead, nice to see you again,” Nick greeted the other man, even if their circumstances weren’t ideal.

“Detective Amaro,” Jay replied.

“Actually, it’s Barba now,” Nick shrugged: “Long story.”

“You got your DA as a Guide?” Jay smiled: “Congratulations on your bonding and marriage.”

“Thanks,” Nick replied before they were interrupted to work the case. 

**

Nadia was still missing, even if Erin’s frown on her face indicated that she couldn’t detect the other woman anymore.

With the Chicago PD as their visitor in a case that was crossing quite a lot of state lines, Nick was witness to his first Sentinel Hunt in history.

Having a face for their suspect, all twelve pairs of Sentinels and Guides that were participating, were passing their suspect and each and every Guide and Sentinel could detect one thing.

The man was dormant. Corrupt. A Sentinel or a Guide that was emotionally crippled and just wrong.

Nick and Rafael were one of the first to be close to the man and it literally rubbed them the wrong way. They were hurrying away form the man as quickly as possible while all present Guides were drawing up mental shields left and right.

When Nadia’s body showed up, Erin’s feelings were clear on the outside. She had lost a member of her team, of her pride and the bad guy had just messed with the wrong crowd.

Hank was first to run over the place, threatening people left and right, even if the man wasn’t a Sentinel. Nick was frowning strongly at the other man, given that he knew how the man liked to work and only this time was he agreeing with the level of violence they should be using.

Rafael was a whole different matter. Nick understood his Guide and after the shooting when Rafael had come online, the other man was more sheltered from the crime and workings they had to see every day.

“I don’t like this,” Barba sighed: “I understood the law when I learned about it but I still don’t like it.”

Nick nodded: “Why do you think this law is included? Think logically here.”

Barba sighed: “The Sentinel Hunt is based on the jury system. Twelve pairs of Sentinels with their Guides are required to assess an individual. The same a jury does. If all are in agreement that the individual is to be hunted down, the Sentinel Hunt will be made public knowledge and every Sentinel and Guide in the State Pack is allowed to hunt them down. If it is a matter of crossing state borders, the Hunt will be expanded.”

“Good, why do we asses the man in question?”

“Because we believe the raped multiple women, dressed as a doctor with a sling on his shoulder who then leaves his victims to burn to death in their houses. We haven’t found a solid trace in Chicago where Sentinel Severide and Guide Chase found the body. Sentinel Dawson and Guide Shay were also on sight to assess it as a rape.” Rafael said: “Chicago PD with Sentinel Halstead and Guide Lindsey were included next before the Alphas Dr Sentinel Rhodes and Guide Halstead were included.”

Nick nodded: “Continue.”

“Sentinel Barba and Guide Barba were also asked to assess, followed by the newest crime scene and the New York State Alpha Trio, followed by the State Betas Sentinel Fitzgerald and Guide Taylor with the FBI.” Rafael continued and the more people he listed, the easier it was for him to talk and realize how many people were actually working on the single case of finding evidence and assessing one individual. It was actually double that of a normal jury and all judges so to speak were heavy on justice and morale.

“Who will be the final members to assess the Hunt?”

“Sentinel Alpha Prime Pairs Sandburg and Ellison as well as Logan and Scarlatti,” Rafael stopped there: “We have the best and highest ranking Sentinels on this, don’t we?”

“Do you still don’t like it?” Nick asked. He knew his Guide was still new in all the traditions and customs they had but he couldn’t force his opinion on his Guide. What his Guide was good at, was thinking and working around a problem to make the law fit into the knowledge and use it accordingly. 

The Sentinel Hunt was law.

Resting his head on Nick’s lap, Rafael closed his eyes: “Personally, I really don’t want to face that man again and I don’t want to kill anyone either.”

“That is not a problem,” Nick pressed a kiss to his temple: “We won’t be there and I’ll personally give Erin a head start. The Guide that will close in on our individual will make sure to read their mind as best as they can before execution will be called out. Otherwise the man will be brought in.”

“Its scary how much power twelve pairs can have over the civilian lives,” he replied: “I never realized it before now what it actually meant.”

“There were only a handful of hunts in our history. We don’t do this often. We always hope for the best but we cannot always find enough evidence.” Nick replied with a frown.

“When will the other Sentinel and Guides arrive to assess him?”

“Tomorrow,” Nick replied.

**

It never came to that. When they woke up the following day, they had evidence to go to trial over. Rafael knew this would be a tiring process and very emotional so he needed every ounce of strength he could get.

Nick was always in the background, letting his Guide run the show but he knew if the man was to be caught in defending himself, Rafi would be the one to do it.

The Chicago cops weren’t that trusting just yet, even if Jay and Erin had faith in Nick’s Guide, a simmer of doubt that the man could walk was there.

Still, they could hunt him down after that if they needed to. They would simply start where they had left off, namely calling the Prime Alphas to assess the situation and give the go.

The moment Nick could see Jay and Erin perking up was the moment his beautiful, smart Guide was in his final moments. The smart way he described Nadia’s death was torture on every jury member, every human in the room. Everyone but Dr Yates. The jury was drawn through a gesture of Rafael to look at Dr Yates and they all saw the excitement he felt.

It was that moment, that Nick could kiss his husband over and over. Every time he pulled that stunt, being choked to demonstrate it, being smart, sarcastic, calm, enraged, all those displays and now the one bringing the Dr to fall, that was what Nick admired most about hid Guide. The ability to use his Guide ability in such a manner that he could manipulate the perpetrators to their own downfall.

Heading outside after they had won, Erin was walking up to Rafael in quick strides: “Thank you, Guide Barba.”

“You’re welcome, Guide Lindsey,” Barba replied: “Anytime you need a good DA, send them our way.”

Jay laughed while Erin’s eyes clouded over. Jay wrapped his Guide in an embrace and lead her away with a nod while Nick turned to his husband: “You do know that some are really upset you weaseled our way out of a Hunt?”

“I wouldn’t do that, would I?” Rafael asked and shrugged: “Joining them for a drink?”

“We should,” Nick replied: “It’s custom to drink one on a pack member and a fellow team member.”

“Then off we go,” Rafael said: “Oh and by the way, before I forget. You remember we’ll be looking at a new apartment tomorrow?”

“Yes, I will remember.”

“Good,” Rafael shrugged: “We need more room or else I’ll accidentally catch one of your suits again.”

Nick laughed: “I don’t mind seeing you in my cloths.”

“Ah hell, damn Sentinel instincts.” Rafael replied with an eye roll.

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> update: i'll continue this with another chapter at a later date, since I've just caught up with the season 16 episodes (due to translation taking time) and a few ideas popped up


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